BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 599
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   July 7, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

           SB 599 (Costa) - As Amended: June 29, 1999 

Policy Committee:                              Public  
SafetyVote:  7-0

Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local  
Program:NoReimbursable:            

  SUMMARY  :

This bill:

1)Codifies current regulations that set sliding scale fees  
  charged to counties for Youth Authority (YA) commitments based  
  upon the most serious offense in the record of a minor.

2)Requires, when assigning a severity of offense category to a  
  ward, the Youthful Offender Parole Board (YOPB) to consider  
  any information or recommendations received from a county or  
  court. If the assigned category is contrary to the  
  recommendation, the YOPB must inform the county in writing of  
  the reasons for the decision.

  FISCAL EFFECT 
  
According to the YOPB, the cost of corresponding with counties  
regarding a difference of opinion as to the severity of offense  
category could be in the range of $250,000, based on about 8,000  
annual category assignments. 

  COMMENT
  
  1)Purpose  . This bill essentially codifies current practice  
  regarding assigning categories based on the ward's most  
  serious offense. The provision requiring notification of  
  counties regarding differences over category assignment is an  
  effort to assure that YOPB category assignments are the most  
  severe, which would reduce county charges. The YOPB sets  
  parole consideration dates for wards committed to the CYA  
  based upon offense category and conducts a hearing immediately  








                                                          SB 599
                                                          Page  2

  after completing a case study of the minor. Category  
  assignments are generally pro forma, based on the ward's most  
  serious offense in his/her criminal history.

  2)Current law  requires the state to charge a county $150 per  
  month for each person committed to any institution under the  
  direct supervision of the YA.  In addition, counties must pay  
  a sliding scale fee for YA commitments based upon offender  
  category. Counties are charged 100% for the least serious  
  offenses (Category 7), 75% of category 6, 50% for category 5.  
  There is no sliding scale fee for the more serious categories  
  (1 through 4). 

  Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916)319-2081